Soft little puffs of dough, rolled in cinnamon and sugar, and baked to perfection. Crispy on the outside, with a fluffy, cake-like interior. One bite and you’ll be hooked. These Snickerdoodles are sure to become your new holiday favorite!

Happy Sunday to you! I hope you had a wonderful week. I can’t believe how fast December is already starting to fly by. With all of the parties, birthdays, and appointments, our December calendar is looking quite full. I just love this busy, yet amazingly fun, time of year. William turned five on Tuesday, and the boys and I celebrated by going out to a special surprise lunch at Firehouse Subs. They just love fire trucks, so it was the perfect birthday lunch spot. They even got new fire hats, too! A fun meal out, presents, cupcakes and a special delivery of cake pops rounded out a wonderful fifth birthday for William.

Here are a few pictures from our week:

Now that the birthday festivities are behind us, we’ve been getting into the holiday spirit around our house today! Between blasting Christmas carols, baking cookies, putting up our tree, and decorating our house, it’s definitely feeling a lot like Christmas around here. I even cooked up a big batch of this Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork and Coleslaw for dinner tonight. Yum!!!

There is just something so special about spending quality time with the ones we love. From playing games, to sitting by the fire, and taking in all of our many blessings, I especially love seeing this time of year through the eyes of my little guys. They are so excited for it all, and it just warms my heart to see their sweet spirits and kind hearts.

Christmas time often brings with it tons of new and old memories. These Snickerdoodles have been a family favorite ever since I was little. I love thinking back on all of the times that my sister and I would gather in the kitchen to help my mom make them. It just wouldn’t be Christmas in our house without a good old-fashioned snickerdoodle. These are some of my all-time favorite cookies, and I know my dad would definitely agree. 😉

The making, baking, tastes and the smells. I guess it’s the whole process that is just so special this time of year. I just love having my house bursting with cinnamon goodness as I’m (not so patiently) waiting for batch number one to finish baking. There’s nothing like that first (giant) bite into a fresh, hot, little mound of snickerdoodle heaven! It’s childhood all over again. The memories, the magic, the innocence of the season.

The original recipe for these cookies came from Betty Crocker’s Cooky Book. I made a few modifications, and clarified the instructions. The end result is simple, delicious, and even better than when we were little. These Snickerdoodles are fairly fast and easy to make. Just a few ingredients and a little bit of effort, these great cookies are sure to please all of your family and friends this holiday season!

Add butter and sugar to bowl of electric mixer, and beat together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Slowly beat in eggs one at a time, until combined.

In a medium bowl, add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt, and whisk together. With mixer set to low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, until just combined. Place bowl of dough in refrigerator for 5 minutes.

While dough is chilling, add 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon to a small bowl, and stir together.

Shape dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, then roll in cinnamon and sugar mixture until evenly coated. Place dough 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. (Return bowl of dough to fridge when not using.)

Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, until puffy and just set. Do not over bake. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then move to wire rack.

Soft, fluffy, oatmeal pancakes, topped with a mountain of sweetened apples, cinnamon and spices. No Butter, No Flour, Oatmeal Pancakes with Warm Apple Compote are the perfect way to start your morning. Heart-healthy and fabulous, this is one breakfast that’s worth waking up for!

Who doesn’t love cutting into a huge stack of thick, warm pancakes on the weekends? I know I sure do! The texture, the taste, the comfort. All rolled up into a cute little pancake. Pile them high, pour on the syrup, top with a little pat of butter, and all is right with the world. Until that sinking feeling in your stomach reminds you that just maybe you should have gone a little lighter on the syrup, or should have only opted for a shorter stack of pancakes. You know how it is, when you look back and regret indulging in a such a tasty morning breakfast.

Well, here’s one pancake recipe that you can feel good about piling high! Grab your plate and stack them up! These No Butter, No Flour, Oatmeal Pancakes with Warm Apple Compote will give you all you need to start your weekend, or your weekday, off on the right foot! They are filled with everything good that your body needs to fuel your morning.

The other night, Andrew and I were talking about our old stomping ground, Atlanta, Georgia. During our conversation, one of our favorite breakfast spots, The Flying Biscuit Cafe, popped into our heads. We sure have a lot of fond memories of that place! I remember going there for dinner one night while I was pregnant with William, and I ordered their amazing Organic Oatmeal Pancakes. Yum! There was also the time that we took my parents there when they were visiting. We had to wait outside for a table for over an hour! (The place is just that good!) As we were waiting, at least we were able to enjoy the lovely weather (that’s one thing that Atlanta has over Michigan for sure!). Great conversation, a beautiful morning, and all of the friendly people passing by. However, we will never forget the one man that was walking by, and decided to loudly comment on my dad’s burnt-orange colored sweater vest. From all the way across the street, he looked at my dad, and shouted, “That’s FABOO!”, and kept on walking. After the man walked away, the four of us were just about doubled over laughing. How funny?!!! Now, whenever we think of The Flying Biscuit, or my dad’s orange vest, we can’t help but think, “It’s FABOO!”.

With a little inspiration from our friends down south, here it is! My totally “faboo” recipe for No Butter, No Flour, Oatmeal Pancakes with Warm Apple Compote.

Add the oatmeal mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk together. Then add the dry ingredients to the oat mixture and stir together using a rubber spatula, until just combined. Allow batter to sit for about 30 minutes to thicken.

While batter is sitting, you can make the compote: In a small sauce pan, combine apples, dates, water, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Turn heat to medium, and stir together. Allow mixture to come to a small boil, then turn heat to medium-low. Continue to simmer, stirring often, for about 30 minutes more, until apples are very soft, and the liquid has reduced greatly and looks thick and syrupy. Turn off heat and stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and keep warm.

Lightly coat a non-stick griddle pan or frying pan with cooking spray, and pre-heat over a medium-low burner. Gently give batter one last stir after it has been sitting.

Once griddle is hot, ladle a little less than a 1/4 cup (about 3 tablespoons) of batter for each pancake, onto pan and cook pancakes on one side until small bubbles start to appear, about 3-4 minutes. Gently flip pancakes over and cook until golden brown, about 2-3 more minutes. Serve warm and top with apple compote.

Light, moist and fluffy mini-blueberry muffins that are packed with flavor, and skimp on the calories. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon zest help to carryout the big flavor in these little guys. Guiltless Blueberry Mini Muffins are perfect for breakfast, dessert, snacks or anytime.

What more could you ask for in a little muffin. Except maybe for them to also be gluten free, low in sugar, low fat, and maybe even sort of healthy? Well your search is over! Seriously, these little muffins are loaded with spices and everything good for you!

One of my main goals when creating this recipe was the health factor, and the other was of course the taste. When we tested the first version of this recipe, we liked it a lot, but thought something was missing. In other words, they were “almost there”. After a few additions, and four different batches later, we have a winner! For this recipe, I kicked up the cinnamon, added a tad more nutmeg, and threw in some lemon zest. I really like how these flavors compliment the oat flour, and work together with the blueberries to bring out their sweetness. The Greek yogurt helps to keep these muffins moist, and adds an extra dose of protein.

I have a feeling we can all use a little extra protein with these cold temperatures lately! This chilliness is not just a Michigan thing, either. Andrew and I have been thinking about our poor friends in Atlanta these past few days as they’re experiencing all sorts of problems due to the snow and freezing temps. This winter seems like it has a mind of its own.

When the boys and I got into the car yesterday morning at 9:30, the temperature was -4 degrees! Brrrrrr! That is just downright cold, if you ask me. Those are the kind of temperatures that pretty much make me want to stay inside all day and keep warm. Although, there’s something to be said for bundling up, heading out and braving the cold, and then coming home to our warm house. So that’s just what we did yesterday. We ran to the grocery store, the library for story time, and then headed straight home for lunch to thaw out.

After lunch, while James was napping, William and I decided that the best thing to do when it’s freezing outside, is to bake something warm and yummy inside. I love cooking with my kids! Even though sometimes it means taking longer, more messes, etc, etc. I think it’s so cute that they love to cook with me!

William and I made a double batch of these delightful minis, and had quite a nice time just the two of us. Next time you’re snowed in, or staying in because it’s too cold to go out, or just because, be sure to try these Guiltless Blueberry Mini Muffins.